Lesson 4 - Collings - Impressionism

A snooze fest 

This film covered four different impressionist artist, all of which made great strides for the movement itself. 

Courbet, Manet, Cezanne and Monet 

Collings film is more of a documentary for each artist, this facts and information are surrounded by him roaming the streets of France pointing out reference locations. Okie dokie, let's start! 

Courbet painted to fight against the government. His largely successful painting and very critical painting is a 20 ft "The painters Studio" that was a direct assist against the government without saying so directly.

Courbet strives to fight against the academy and their view of the perfect person. Their view of paintings were that they were to reflect the past not reflect reality, Courbet thought that painting should be reality and a sense that a photo could not provide. Courbet stops painting politically and begins to paint nudes, not pretty nudes but ugly average woman nudes. Courbet was a great impressionist but not a conventional artist for he did not paint with bright colors. The next artist did tho. 

Monet painted the outdoors, was raw and intense. His involvement in the impressionist group was one by accident. But a great accident it was, he later founded the impressionist group. Born in the lower middle class Monet thought that colors were the path to the future. His greatest painting was Poppyfield for his color arrangment and how everything ties together. 

Impressionist are inspired by this painting and he began the movement for many to follow. One great accomplishment he did was to create the anonymous society of artist. With the fight that Courbet did against the art world, here artist could display their work without judgement and show the new look for painting, the looks of reality.

Another painter shown in the film was Manet. Manet and Monet were constantly criticized for having such close names but they were close friends da and associate painters. He was a posh painter, thinking of how paintings should be painted and what paintings are made of. He was known for painting his muse Victoria, later to state she was not his mistress. A great painting by Monet right before he passed was of the Barmaid. It had a sense of modern life, liveliness in his painting. The logistics of the painting are incorrect but that's not important, the piece is a masterpiece.   

This film was long and the narrator is a bore but the artist are very interesting. 

Lesson 4 - Bugler - Seurat

The film I warned you about!

Ok, interesting film, unaware of why the entire film resolved around one paintings, but it's a pretty darn great painting. 

A Sunday on La Grande Jatte - 1884

This piece painted by Georges Seurat is a master piece that has been studied for years. How do you understand this painting? Where do you begin? The film takes you through the painting and begins to dissect the potential meaning of the multiple scenes associated inside the one large piece. Seurat started painting at the age of 18, once beginning his studies he started to sketch live people. His studying would not last long for he was called off to the military. One piece that came prior to A Sunday on La Grande Jatte was Bathers at Asnieres. 

This piece is equal in size to A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, it also lets you peek into his next painting showing the island of La Grande in the background. The beauty of these paintings is that they are created by using small precise strokes, creating a "dot" affect to create these paintings. To provide a broader around each individual instead of a "dot" Seurat used strokes. But why would he use these methods to paint? These techniques were called plot-ism, the layers of color were to make the color appear more vibrant, and vibrant is exact how the painting appeared. 

I have seen this piece before in ads and on commercials. Society has embraced A Sunday on La Grande Jatte as a great piece of satire. An artist in Columbus, Ohio created a garden replicating the 12 ft figures. Another piece came from Stephen Sondheim that created a musical-Sunday in the park with George- showing the struggle and cost of art on those who paint it. In 1900 Chicago had the greatest of luck procuring this masterpiece. Fredrick Clay Barlett purchased the painting for $20,000 and installed it in the Chicago Art Institute. France later realized what painting it had lost and has attempted to pay millions to procure the painting. 

"truly great French master-piece that is not in France,"

The painting went on one trip, to New York. During this visit the New York Museum of Modern Art caught fire; the painting will never leave Chicago again. 

Many have their skepticism of the meaning behind these paintings but we will never know for sure for Georges Seurat passed of  pneumonia prior to telling anyone the true meaning. I like the mystery! It keeps you guessing and ever studying it for it's endless possibilities. 

Lesson 4 - Schama - Van Gogh

An epic reenactment!

Van Gogh was an artist hunted by his inability to grasp the peoples attention and fighting the demands within. Like many artist he started with humble beginnings, that lead to his desire to become a minister. His time with the ministry was very brief but that did not detour him from wanting to reach out to society and spread God's word, to do so Van Gogh began to paint. "In a way I'm glad I never learned painting, I know for certain that painting is in the very marrow of my bones. I want to do drawings that will touch people. I wanna get to the point that people say to my work that that man feels deeply."With no prior training in painting Van Gogh finished his first piece, the potato eaters. 

The Potato Eaters - Vincent Van Gogh

This gray brown, dirty piece was not a piece the public understood or wanted. This piece shows the individuals who use manual labor to provide their food, it shows hardship. This is Van Gogh first masterpiece and he never knew it. Van Gogh brother who sold his paintings told him to use more colors and that this painting would not sell. With these instructions Van Gogh became addicted to colors such as gold and the beauty of nature. A few of his early paintings incuded His nature was earthier, truer and brighter than other artist. His paintings, Wheat field with Crows, Boots and cut flowers were all great paintings what buyers did not care to buy. To understand Van Gogh you must read his letters to his brother the art dealer. In these letters we find that Van Gogh is not only a very intelligent person but also a very anxious person. The inability to sell paintings isnt making his anxiety any better. The build up of anxiety became too much and Van Gogh suffered from an attack, during this attack to himself Van Gogh cut off his own ear lobe. So what now? Can Van Gogh still paint? Of course! It was just his ear! 

Van Gogh - self portrait 

After committing himself to an asylum Van Gogh started to see things is a newer light. His brush strokes were stronger, and his focus was stronger. In the paintings following his attack we start to see Van Gogh and his thoughts, resulting in Starry Night. 

Van Gogh - Starry Night

Here we see a calmness in the sky, The movements of the swirls and the brightness of colors. This would be a great seller and one that grasp that public's attention in the way that Van Gogh originally set out to do. By painting everyday Van Gogh kept his attacks at bay until one day Van Gogh shot himself in the abdomen, later dying from fever. His closest family member, Theo the art dealer died a year later. Van Gogh did not live to see the impact his paintings have on society but his style and ability to translate movement and paint stokes began a new era of painters. 

Lesson 4 - Lecture

It's another Vblog! Hahaha 

Lesson 3 - Schama - David

David was a painter who became a revolutionary painter of the people. David was a outcast in society, at a young age he was involved in an accident that left his face marked and swollen enabling him to speak. (The movie shows a guy that looks like the Joker) This deformity did not allow him to be accepted into society quickly. Schama explains David in a way more focused on his recognized era instead of his beginning years. During the years of the French Revolution David became a liberal painter. One who spoke through his art in lieu of his speech impediment. One of his first public paintings appeared in the Luve, Paris, France. This painting described the country in crisis and the aid to help it.

David - Oath of the Horatii

David next large revolutionary drawing was one showed in my second post this week. The meetings of nobles, clergy and commoners without the kings permission known as the Tennis Court Oath. The drawing later to become a painting was never finished, individuals at the meeting were later killed.

A painting that I found profound and had very little obvious expression was one illustrating the massacre of July 14th, the beheading of the governor with a fruit knife (painful much?)

David, Jacques-Louis

The photo shows Brutus ordering the execution of his sons for plotting a monarchy, the mother shows emotion as she sees her headless son being carried away. Brutus has an emotionless face until you look at his feet. His feet are twitchy, showing the thoughts that are in his head. 

David would later allow his liberal artwork ban him from France. During the revolution Marat's death needed to be moralized, a showing to the people his death and meaning. Marat was a individual of the commoners who pointed out any person who did not support the new government solely by beheading them. 

Death of Marat - David

David drew his friend in a fictional sense. A body with color of stone, a delicate wound. This drawing wants the people to believe in the cause, that Marat was a person of the people. The box says, he was one of you; the poor, the suffering. The letter in his hand makes him a victim of his kindness, the letter on the box is from a widow and Marat is sending her money. David made Marat out as a godly figure. 

The people saw through this propaganda and banished this painting as well as David from France. 

David was a tyrant of the arts. Moral reeducation is the fullest form of art, David accomplished this idea. 

Lesson 3 - Hughes - Goya

Goya is described as having dark images and a crazy mind, but crazy like a genius. Hughes himself, the narrator of the film has understanding of the mindset of Goya for he himself had a near death experience. I believe this experience is what allows Hughes to identify with the darker paintings of Goya.

Goya was not a peasant, he grew up in a tiny town with his mother. His first large commission was on inside a monk church. Here he was to paint 11 paintings on the inside of the church, no one has ever seen his paintings. Only one painting still exist for he was inexperienced and painted directly on the plaster walls, after damage, the church had them restored by a French painter; only one original remains. Yes he was young when painting these, but his presence was still there, as well as a portrait of himself.

Later works by Goya were critized as cartoons, but Goya mastered what others could not, the ability to please a client. The film then showed a gallery opening for Goya and his women, shown is a very young Queen Elizabeth (this movie is a tad bit old). The women painted by Goya showed every detail from rich, poor, clothed and naked. One portion that I believe the narrator wanted us to know about this part of Goya's life is that he like himself was a creepy old man. (yes i am laughing as I type this) One painting of the Dutchess of Elbow showed he pointing to the sand where Goya had written ONLY GOYA. We then pan to the very first portrait of a naked woman, beautiful and different, Hughes informs us that he would like to jump in the painting and have sex with her. This film is making me a tad bit uncomfortable!

Here and where the Goya of madness appears, in 1792 he becomes ill with vertigo, death and blindness. He overcomes some of the illness but remains death the rest of his life. After this experience his paintings changed forever. Goya was now fighting himself and the madness within. His paintings were of prisons and madhouses, where individuals were not helped but dumped, something inside of his had changed.

Goya - The Meadow of San Isidro on his Feast Day 

Goya - Pilgrimage to San Isidro

The paintings are different but of the similar layout. One very dark, the people have changed from royal to groups of robbers and thieves. They are irrational and profoundly weird. 

During the French Revolution Goya became the correspondent journalist before they even had a title. Many of the scenes drawn by him were to believed to be false and imagined. A man of 62 years old could not have possibly seen these gruesome scenes and escaped.  Two national days were painted by Goya and gained him great acknowledgment. The 2nd day of May (rebirth of Spanish identity), the 3rd of May (the start of the great war of national liberation).

Goya - Third of May - 1808

Goya died in 1828, he was 82 years old. One of his final paintings were a self portrait. A sickly man being forced medicine by his close friend Dr. Areata.

Lesson 3 - Collings - Civilization

"Idea if what we are suddenly changes"

Matthew Collings explored the works of both David the French painter and Goya the Spanish painter. Neither of these painters met during their lives but have significant and similar impacts to the world around them. David's paintings showed us how to feel to be better people, inner nobility. Goya did not show the best of us, but the worst of us.

The film focused on Matthew Collings feelings about the paintings and painters, him moving about museums and cities, well lite and full of his dramatic tone. He really did try to make his voice dramatic and suspenseful, a bit intriguing haha. Similar to the next two films I will be discussing this film provides the background of both Goya and David. I want to focus on their similaries and I can break them down seperately in the next two post.

The feelings portion of the film informed us that both painters were radicals and wanted to move forward into the future for their country. It was the time of the enlightenment. The next segment of the film explores Civilization and the thought of change for the commoners. David and Goya illustrated that change in their art work.

  

David - Oath of the Tennis Court, 1789   

Goya - Charles IV of Spain and His Family          

Lesson 3 - Lecture

I Vlog! First attempt... 2nd attempt next week!

LESSON 2 - SCHAMA - CARAVAGIO

I loved this dark, mysterious film. The story of caravagio is one that is different from other artist. He is one that didn't have a conventional upbringing. He started drawing in Nepals apposed to Italy and leisure in bars and the undesired portions of town unlike other great painters. Caravagio desired to paint life and realism instead of paintings that showed religion to be lifeless and angel like. Many of his commission paintings showed the religious beliefs in a different way than others, in a human sense, a way that we can relate to and understand in our daily lives. After becoming famous Caravagio became his own worst enemy, fighting and eventually killing a swordsman. In his final days he painted a great painting, his final self portrait. This self portrait showed Goliath holding Caravagios head. This portrait showed his inner conflict with himself and his sinful life. Caravagio died without the help of humans or mercy of the Gods.

Lesson 2 - Hockey - Lens

This lens movie showed a different light on the paintings of the Renaissance. How exactly did painters achieve the complicated task of painting chandliers as well as having an array of small painings. After further investigation it has been found that the painters we're using lens to draw their subjects. Later it was found using math that you can figure what type of lens we're used for the paintings and in many cases multiple lenses we're used to portray different portions of the painting. This film was filmed in Hollywood as well as Italy. It was interesting to find out that many painters did not tell they were using lens, it was a little secret.

Lesson 2 - Lecture

Lesson 2 has begun and our focus is literally focus (get it?). OK! This week Professor Peck show cases his studio as well as his apartment in our weekly breakdown video. P.S. Nice home! As Professor Peck begins to physically demonstrate the differences, similarities and connections between the camera and paintings he also demonstrates how light comes into play for both functions of art. Light, scenery and atmosphere are all components that assist in film (future lessons), photos and paintings. To give an example pertaining to film Professor Peck took us to the alleyway of his home and created a dramatic scene for his vlog. The scene was planned, by using a train as a prop, setting up his camera directly under a street light and having stores in the background to create a atmosphere. All of these components come into mind not only for film, will be discussed in future lesson, but also in paintings, the camera changes everything for the painter.

New question, should I try to vlog next week? I'm thinking about it!! 

Lesson 1 - Michelangelo - Marlow

Great Italian Painter #2

The first week of films are finally over, I hope my blog isn't boring you too much!

Much like the last film this film showed a different filming technique. More of a one on one tour guide through Florence and Italy, having a one on one conversation about the great Michelangelo. 

Born in 1475 in a town called Caprice, right outside of Florence. At the age of 13 he began to focus on his techniques with Ghirlandaio by drawing nude body figures. From here he journeyed to the Medici academy, learning to build sculptures. The first completed sculptured by Michelangelo was titled Battle of the Sin tors - this sculpture shows the struggle of reason and passion. This first piece was able to convey that  message of power, violence, sensuality and movement; this was the beginning sights of his greatness. 

Michelangelo traveled Italy and Florence creating a name for himself as one of the greatest painters, sculptors of his time in comparison to Leonardo Da Vinci. Known for his homoerotic style, masculine figures yet soft faces Michelangelo began a new era of art. One piece that I find most interesting is not of David, or the 9 scenes from the book of genesis painted on the ceiling of the 16th chapel, but the painting on the outer wall of the 16th chapel. This painting of The Last Judgement showed a different side of Michelangelo that was not seen in prior years. With his old age and fear of his salvation Michelangelo painted a brutal and rougher scene of society. 

Last Judgement

With his death in 1564, Michelangelo left behind greatness in the form of marble. 

"He inspired a new form of religion, art itself."

        

              David                                                        The Donne                                   The Slave/Captive

Lesson 1 - Da Vinci - Bruce

Great Italian Painter #1

After watching the last film I did not think these films would be very intriguing, yet a series of bland films pertaining to art. I was pleasantly surprised that this film not only caught my attention but had me seeking more information. One down side to the film unlike the previous is that the names of paintings or individuals were not provided at the bottom of the screen. But that's why google was invented right? 

Leonardo Da Vinci born in the hills Tuscany, Vinci. Born as a bastard to a very prestigious family Da Vinci called himself an uneducated man, allowing the countryside to teach him through drawings.

Da Vinci's first chance at painting a commissioned piece came from his mentor Andrea del Verrocchio on Christ with John the Baptist. Da Vinci painted the kneeling angel in the lower left corner. This angel started his career as a well sought out painter and later innovator. 

The film moves you through the mountains of Italy, to Florence, Milan and finally New York. The settings, locations and paintings shown throughout the film are beautiful and captured in great sun light. 

As the film moves through Da Vinic's life and the locations he resided you constantly heard Da Vinci referenced as an individual that could not finish a piece. I believe Larry Keith - restorer- described him perfectly, "so many of his works are unfinished, he saw another possibility, another way of doing something."

Being this film was about a great painter, sculptor, innovator and curious person the film showed numerous of pieces by Da Vinci. There are only 15 completed pieces by Da Vinci in the world. The one that stood out the most to me was not the famous Mona Lisa or the Last Supper but the Lady with the Ermine. 

1798 - Hangs in Warsaw Poland

This portrait intrigues me for the simple fact that it stands for so much. The woman's body is placed in a way to state she is moving, you can see her skeletal frame through her fingers. She has a very so slightly grin on her face as she holds onto a ermine. To the ignorant eye you would not question why she is holding the creature. After explanation, the ermine stands for purity, a symbol of her lover. The ermine's arm is muscular and grasping her showing sex and power. This small portrait holds so many symbolic messages. 

One of the worlds greatest questioners died in 1519 leaving behind a legacy that has allowed us to question as well! 

Lesson 1 - Modern Marvels Paint

The Wonder's of Paint 

The History channel show cased an episode on Modern Marvels focused on Paint. This episode explained the discovery of paint from over 30,000 years ago to the paint we use everyday in our homes. 

The episode was not the most intriguing video I have watched in my life but it was very informative. Starting with the 3 basic components of paint; resin, pigment and solvent. Resin is a binder or glue, pigment is always a solid, either ground up minerals or complex carbon based chemicals. Finally, a solvent helps paint smooth out such as water. From the limestone hills of southern France with cave paintings depicting hunting scenes to the advances of Egyptians those three basic components are the steady evolving and changing with technology.


The Seine at Asineres (1879) - Pierre - Auguste Renoir
"Impressionist paints were as much a product of the industrial revolution as the steam engine."

As the film moves from country to city to the inside of many factories, the most interesting focus of the film was that everything in our lives is covered by paint, if we see it or not, even the inside of a paint can is painted.

" I think the invention of latex paint, probably the single most important break through of the history of paint." - John Kordosh - Product Development MGR Homax Products. 

In the search for synthetic rubber during WWII the discovery was latex resin was found. This discovery solved the problems of bad odor, long drying times and the risk of flammable paint. Paint has had large strides since it's drawings on cave walls and Egyptian tombs. The future of paint is in the hands of those who seek to improve it's quality and performance possibly becoming the first product to inform us the windshield on a bridge. The wonders our minds can think of! 

Lesson 1 - Lecture

Film # 1 

This has been one interesting video to watch.... To place a face to a name Professor Nathan Peck created his own mini film explaining the course and the direction it will be taken this semester. I found it very intriguing and shocking that this film was shot on a phone, iPhone none the least (sorry I'm an android user). This is a great way of being resourceful and using media available to our advantages.

The film begins with a little information about my new Professor. He has taught at Saint Xavier University for 10 years, teaching multi- media and web graphics. In his spare time he finds himself making videos, and painting in his studio. As Professor Peck provides a little information about himself and the course you watch him film in multiple locations in a loft space. I can only wonder and guess that the space being filmed in is none other than his studio, very nice! As Professor Peck walks through his studio he begins to review the semester's curriculum and his goal for his students. I must say, I am very impressed by his visual syllabus, it's very creative and something I have never seen before.

As the syllabus is broken down by Professor Peck he begins to touch on paints such as the portrait of George W. Bush, cave paints done by Neanderthals, and then paintings completed during the Renaissance era. A fact new to me featured in the film touched on how the painting by Leonardo DiVinci - Last Supper is currently pealing from the wall and only 20% of the painting remains.


this painting is 500 years old. A painting that has impacted society in a strong way, is deteriorating in front of our eyes. What can we do to preserve our thoughts and visions if not through paintings? This thought is what encouraged Professor Peck to have us study film. Professor Peck stated, "I love this idea (the idea of studying multiple disciplines), it’s a very liberating approach…… learned the best I could, I like the concept, what inspired me about their story and take on the approach I did.”

Now that the foundation has been set for the semester, I am excited about this different way of learning about art. To take a traditional study and make it modern is something I can truly enjoy! Let the film watching begin!!

Ready.... Set.... GO!